Photos

Photo

James McDuffie/Special to The Gazette
South Carolina NAACP President Dr. Lonnie Randolph addresses Goose Creek NAACP members as the Rev. Nelson Rivers III, NAACP Vice President of Stakeholders and pastor of Charity Baptist Church in North Charleston, looks on.

South Carolina NAACP President Lonnie Randolph delivered the keynote address as the Goose Creek NAACP Freedom Fund luncheon was held at Charleston Southern University.

The annual fundraiser – the organization’s largest of the year – took place Sept. 28.

Randolph praised the city’s NAACP branch for its involvement in the community, and urged everyone to stay active. He also touched on the importance of voting, regardless of party or individual candidates.

Those who choose not to vote are throwing away a precious right, he said.

“Register to vote, and let’s make South Carolina a better place for all of God’s children to live,” Randolph said to applause.

Goose Creek NAACP President David Cakley called the fundraiser a success.

“We had an excellent event,” Cakley said. “Dr. Lonnie Randolph advised us on the current affair surrounding minority voting in South Carolina, members of the Goose Creek Community were recognized, and a totally good time was had by all.”

All ages took part in the program, including 10-year-old T’Auna Prioleau, who gave a speech entitled “I Am Coretta Scott King.”

The speech, which honored the wife of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., was composed by T’Auna with help from her grandmother, Amanda Moore, and branch member LaVerda Kearse-James from Mt. Moriah Missionary Baptist Church.

The Goose Creek NAACP presented four awards. The President’s Award was given to Veronica Dukes for her dedicated service to the local branch.

The Community Service Award was given to Leroy Rivers, owner of Rivers Funeral home in Goose Creek, for services and support his company has provided to the community and the local branch.

A second Community Service Award was given to Howard Boyd, owner of Howard’s Barber Shop and Barber School in Goose Creek. Boyd has been a supporter of the Goose Creek NAACP branch since it started and is well known in Goose Creek for his civic support.

Finally, former Berkeley County School District administrator Willis Sanders received the Educators Award for his 41 years in education and support of the local branch.

Kearse-James said the annual fundraiser was representative of the local branch’s enthusiasm.

“The Goose Creek branch seems to have an intensity that is often lacking in other civic and civil rights groups,” she said.

Kearse-James called this year’s luncheon an inspiration, and called Randolph’s address “dynamic, informative, passionate,” and said that it “exuded an air of deep commitment to the mission of the NAACP.”

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